THE  LIBRARY 


[HE  UNIVERSITY 


OF  CALIFORNIA 


LOS  ANGELES 


'  NOT  IN   CLASSIC  LORE,    BUT  RICH   IN 
THE  CHILD-SAGAS  OF  THE  KITCHEN." 


JAMES 
H1TCOMB 


tf/lustr&tedb 
J.W.VAWTER 





Copyright,  1902,  by 

JAKES  WHITCOMB  RILKT 

ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED 


Published  October,  1902 


THE  DCVlNNE  PRES3 


, 

,  CKfc. 


GRATEFULLY  AND   AFFECTIONATELY 
INSCRIBED 

TO 
JOEL  CHANDLER  HARRIS 


You  who  to  the  rounded  prime 

Of  a  life  of  toil  and  stress, 
Still  have  kept  the  morning-time 

Of  glad  youth  in  heart  and  spirit, 
So  your  laugh,  as  children  hear  it, 
Seems  their  own,  no  less, — 
Take  this  book  of  childish  rhyme  — 
The  Book  of  Joyous  Children. 

Their  first  happiness  on  earth 

Here  is  echoed —  their  first  glee: 
Rich,  in  sooth,  the  volume's  worth — 
Not  in  classic  lore,  but  rich  in 
The  child-sagas  of  the  kitchen;  — 
Therefore,  take  from  me 
To  your  heart  of  childish  mirth 

The  Book  of  Joyous  Children. 


PROEM viii 

THE  BOOK  OF  JOYOUS  CHILDREN 3 

AN  IMPROMPTU  FAIRY-TALE 8 

DREAM-MARCH 10 

^  ELMER  BROWN 13 

\  No  BOY  KNOWS 15 

WHEN  WE  FIRST  PLAYED  "Snow"  ....  19 

A  DIVERTED  TRAGEDY 25 

'THE  EAMBO-TREE 27 

>• — i 

FIND  THE  FAVORITE 31 

THE  BOY  PATRIOT 35 

EXTREMES 39 

INTELLECTUAL  LIMITATIONS 40 

A  MASQUE  OF  THE  SEASONS 43 

THOMAS  THE  PRETENDER 48 

LITTLE  DICK  AND  THE  CLOCK 52 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

FOOL-YOUNGENS ,  54 

THE  KATYDIDS 58 

\ 

BILLY  AND  HI&  DRUM 60 

THE  NOBLE  OLD  ELM 64 

THE  PENALTY  OF  GENIUS 68 

EVENSONG 70 

THE  TWINS 73 

THE  LITTLE  LADY 76 

"COMPANY  MANNERS" 80 

IN  FERVENT  PRAISE  OF  PICNICS 81 

THE  GOOD,  OLD-FASHIONED  PEOPLE  ....  82 

THE  BEST  TIMES 86 

"HIK-TEE-DIK!" 89 

A  CHRISTMAS  MEMORY 92 

"OLD  BOB  WHITE" 98 

A  SESSION  WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY  : 

I    ONE  OF   HIS   ANIMAL  STORIES 103 

II    UNCLE  BRIGHTENS   UP 112 

in  SINGS  A  "WINKY-TOODEN"  SONG     .    .    .  116 

IV  AND  MAKES  NURSERY  RHYMES   ....  118 

1  THE  DINERS  IN  THE  KITCHEN   .    .    .  118 

2  THE  IMPERIOUS  ANGLER 121 

3  THE  GATHERING  OF  THE  CLANS     .    .  122 

4  "IT" 127 

6  THE  DARING  PRINCE .    .  128 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

A  DUBIOUS  "OLD  KRISS" 130 

A  SONG  OF  SINGING 137 

THE  JAYBIRD 138 

A  BEAR  FAMILY x 141 

SOME  SONGS  AFTER  MASTER-SINGERS  : 

i  SONG 146 

II    TO   THE   CHILD   JULIA 149 

in  THE  DOLLY'S  MOTHER 151 

IV  WIND  OF  THE  SEA 155 

V  SUBTLETY 1 56 

VI  BORN  TO  THE  PURPLE 157 

OLD  MAN  WHISKERY- WHEE-KUM- WHEEZE    .  160 

LlTTLE-GlRL-TWO-LlTTLE-GlRLS 164 

A  GUSTATORY  ACHIEVEMENT 166 

CLIMATIC  SORCERY 168 

A  PARENT  REPRIMANDED 171 

THE  TREASURE  OF  THE  WISE  MAN  .  175 


FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

NOT    IN  CLASSIC   LOBE,   BUT   BICH   IN  THE  CHILD-SAGAS 

OF  THE  KITCHEN Frontispiece 

KNEEL,   ALL  GLOWING,   TO  THE  COOL  SPBING     ....        5 

NO  BOY  KNOWS  WHEN  HE  GOES  TO  SLEEP 17 

JAMESY  ON  THE  SLACK-BOPE .21 

ACROSS  THE  OBCHABD  .............     38 

WHILE  ALL  THE  ABMY,  FOLLOWING,  IN  CHOBUS  CHEEBS 
AND   SINGS 37 

WHERE    IT  GOES  WHEN  THE  FIBE  GOES  OUT?.    .      .      .      .  41 

THE  FAIBY  QUEEN  OF  THE  SEASONS 45 

'POBE  PA  !  POBE  PA  !  " 49 

SQUINT'    OUB  EYES  AN'   LAUGH'    AGAIN 65 

HE  >S  A-MABCHIN'   BOUND  THE  BOOM 61 

THE  OLD  TBEE  SAYS  HE  '8  ALL  OUB  TBEE     .....  65 

• 

THEBEFOBE  BEAD   NO   LONGEB 71 

SHE  'S  BUT  A  BACING  SCHOOL-GIBL 77 


FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

THEY  WAS  GOD'S  PEOPLE 83 

THEM  WUZ  THE  BEST  TIMES  EVER  WUZ 87 

HE  'S  GO'  HITCH  UP,  CHRIS' MUS-D AY,  AN'  COME  TAKE  ME 
BACK  AGAIN  .  ,      93 


WHEN  WE  DROVE  TO   HARMONY 


A     BIG,     HOLLOW,     OLD    OAK-TREE,    WHICH     HAD     BEEN 
BLOWN  DOWN  BY  A  STORM 105 

THE  YOUNG  FOXES  IN  IT,  ON  THE  HEARTH  BESIDE  HER   109 

AN'   ALL  BE  POETS  AN'   ALL  RECITE 113 

ALONG  THE  BRINK  OF  WILD  BROOK-WAYS      .....   136 

I  LIKE  TO  WATCH  HIM 139 

WHILE  KATE  PICKS  BY,    YET  LOOKS  NOT  THERE      .      .      .    147 
LEND  ME  THE  BREATH  OF  A  FRESHENING   GALE    .      .      .    153 

BOW  TO  ME  IN  THE  WINDER  THERE 161 

OUR   "  OLD-KRISS  "-MILKMAN 169 

THE  CHILDISH  DREAMS  IN  HIS  WISE  OLD  HEAD  .   174 


THE   BOOK   OF 
JOYOUS   CHILDREN 


THE   BOOK   OF  JOYOUS   CHILDREN 


BOUND  and  bordered  in  leaf-green, 

Edged  with  trellised  buds  and  flowers 
And  glad  Summer-gold,  with  clean 

White  and  purple  morning-glories 
Such  as  suit  the  songs  and  stories 
Of  this  book  of  ours, 
Unre  vised  in  text  or  scene,— 

The  Book  of  Joyous  Children. 

Wild  and  breathless  in  their  glee— 

Lawless  rangers  of  all  ways 
Winding  through  lush  greenery 

Of  Elysian  vales—  the  viny, 
Bowery  groves  of  shady,  shiny 
Haunts  of  childish  days. 
Spread  and  read  again  with  me 

The  Book  of  Joyous  Children. 
[3] 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOYOUS  CHILDREN 

What  a  whir  of  wings,  and  what 

Sudden  drench  of  dews  upon 
The  young  brows,  wreathed,  all  unsought, 
With  the  apple-blossom  garlands 
Of  the  poets  of  those  far  lands 
Whence  all  dreams  are  drawn 
Set  herein  and  soiling  not 

The  Book  of  Joyous  Children. 

In  their  blithe  companionship 

Taste  again,  these  pages  through, 
The  hot  honey  on  your  lip 

Of  the  sun-smit  wild  strawberry, 
Or  the  chill  tart  of  the  cherry  ; 
Kneel,  all  glowing,  to 
The  cool  spring,  and  with  it  sip 

The  Book  of  Joyous  Children. 

As  their  laughter  needs  no  rule, 

So  accept  their  language,  pray.— 
Touch  it  not  with  any  tool : 

Surely  we  may  understand  it,— 
As  the  heart  has  parsed  or  scanned  it 
Is  a  worthy  way, 
Though  found  not  in  any  School 

The  Book  of  Joyous  Children. 
[4] 


THE   BOOK   OF  JOYOUS   CHILDREN 

Be  a  truant— know  no  place 

Of  prison  under  heaven's  rim ! 
Front  the  Father's  smiling  face — 

Smiling,  that  you  smile  the  brighter 
For  the  heavy  hearts  made  lighter, 
Since  you  smile  with  Him. 
Take— and  thank  Him  for  His  grace— 
The  Book  of  Joyous  Children. 


AN   IMPROMPTU   FAIRY-TALE 


WHEN  I  wuz  ist  a  little  bit 
o>  weenty-teenty  Jcid 

I  malted  up  a  Fairy-tale, 
all  by  myself,  I  did:— 


Wunst  upon  a  time  wunst 

They  wuz  a  Fairy  King, 
An'  ever'thing  he  have  wuz 
gold — 

His  clo'es,  an'  everything  ! 
An'  all  the  other  Fairies 

In  his  goldun  Palace-hall 
Had  to  hump  an'  hustle— 

'Cause  he  wuz  bosst  of  all ! 

ii 

He  have  a  goldun  trumput, 
An'  when  he  blow'  on 

that, 
It  's  a  sign  he  want'  his 

boots, 
Er  his  coat  er  hat : 


AN   IMPROMPTU   FAIRY-TALE 


They  's  a  sign  fer  ever'thing,— 

An'  all  the  Fairies  knowed 
Ever'  sign,  an'  come  a-hoppin' 

When  the  King  blowed  ! 

in 

Wunst  he  blowed  an'  telled 

'em  all : 

"Saddle  up  yer  bees- 
Fireflies  is  gittin'  fat 

An'  sassy  as  you  please  !— 
Guess  we  '11  go  a-huntin' !  " 

So  they  hunt'  a  little  bit, 
Till  the  King  blowed  "Sup 

per-time," 
Nen  they  all  quit. 

IV 

Nen  they  have  a  Esuiqul 

In  the  Palace-hall, 
An'  ist  et !  an'  et !  an'  et ! 
Nen  they  have  a  Ball ; 
An'  when  the  Queen  o'  Fairyland 

Come  p'omenadiii'  through, 
The  King  says  an'  halts  her,— 
"Guess  I  '11  marry  you ! " 


DREAM-MARCH 


WAS  N'T  it  a  funny  dream  !— perfectly  bewild'rin'  !— 
Last  night,  and  night  before,  and  night  before  that, 
Seemed  like  I  saw  the  march  o'  regiments  o'  children, 
Marching  to  the  robin's  fife  and  cricket's  rat-ta-tat ! 
Lily-banners  overhead,  with  the  dew 

upon  'em, 
On  flashed  the  little  army,  as  with 

sword  and  flame ; 
Like  the  buzz  o'  bumble-wings,  with 

the  honey  on  'em, 
Came  an  eerie,  cheery  chant,  chim 
ing  as  it  came  : — 

Where  go  the  children  ?    Travelling ! 
Travelling! 

Where  go  the  children,  travel 
ling  ahead  f 
Some  go  to  kindergarten;  some  go 

to  day-school; 

Some  go  to  night-school;  and 
some  go  to  bed  ! 

[10  J 


DREAM-MAKCH 


Smooth   roads    or   rough    roads, 

warm  or  winter  weather, 
On  go  the  children,  tow-head 

and  brown, 
Brave  boys  and  brave  girls,  rank 

and  file  together, 
Marching  out  of  Morning-Land, 

,  over  dale  and  down  : 

(Some  go  a-gypsying  out  in  coun 
try  places— 
Out  through  the  orchards,  with 

blossoms  on  the  boughs 
Wild,  sweet,  and  pink  and  white 

as  their  own  glad  faces ; 
And  some  go,  at  evening,  call 
ing  home  the  cows. 

Where  go  the  children  f   Travel 
ling  !     Travelling ! 
Where  go  the  children,  travel 
ling  ahead? 
Some  go  to  foreign  wars,  and 

camps  by  the  firelight— 
Some  go  to  glory  so;  and  some 
go  to  bed! 

Some  go   through  grassy  lanes 
leading  to  the  city-- 

[11] 


DEEAM-MAKCH 


Thinner  grow  the  green  trees 
and  thicker  grows  the  dust  ; 
Ever,  though,  to  little  people 

any  path  is  pretty 
So  it  leads  to  newer  lands,  as 

they  know  it  must. 
Some  go  to  singing  less  ;  some 

go  to  list'ning  ; 
Some  go  to  thinking  over  ever- 

nobler  themes  ; 

Some  go  anhungered,  but  ever 
bravely  whistling, 
Turning  never  home  again  only  in  their  dreams. 


Where  go  the  children?     Travel 
ling!     Travelling! 
Where  go  the  children,  travelling 

ahead ? 
Some  go  to  conquer  things;  some 

go  to  try  them; 

Some  go  to  dream  them;   and 
some  go  to  bed! 


[12  ] 


AWF'LEST  boy  in  this-here  town 
Er  anywheres  is  Elmer  Brown  ! 
He  '11  mock  you— yes,  an'  strangers,  too, 
An'  make  a  face  an'  yell  at  you,— 
11  Here  's  the  way  you  look  ! " 


Yes,  an'  wunst  in  School  one  day, 
An'  Teacher  's  lookin'  wite  that  way, 
He  helt  his  slate,  an'  hide  his  head, 
An'  maked  a  face  at  her,  an'  said,— 
"Here  's  the  way  you  look  ! " 


An' -sir !  when  Eosie  Wheeler  smile 
One  morning  at  him  'crosst  the  aisle, 
He  twist  his  face  all  up,  an'  black 
His  nose  wiv  ink,  an'  whisper  back, — 
"Here  Js  the  way  you  look  ! " 


Wunst  when  his  Aunt 's  all  dressed  to  call, 
An'  kiss  him  good-bye  in  the  hall, 
An'  latch  the  gate  an'  start  away, 
He  holler  out  to  her  an'  say,— 
"Here  's  the  way  you  look  ! " 
[13] 


ELMEK   BKOWN 

An'  when  Ms  Pa  he  read  out  loud 
The  speech  he  maked,  an'  feel  so  proud 
It 's  in  the  paper— Elmer's  Ma 
She  ketched  him— wite  behind  his  Pa?  — 
"Here  's  the  way  you  look  ! " 


when  his  Ma  she  slip  an.'  take 
Him  in  the  other  room  an'  shake 
Him  good  !  w'y,  he  don't  care— no-sir  / — 
He  ist  look  up  an'  laugh  at  her,— 

11  Here  's  the  way  you  look  ! " 


I 
NO   BOY   KNOWS 


THERE  are  many  things  that  boys  may  know— 

Why  this  and  that  are  thus  and  so,— 

Who  made  the  world  in  the  dark  and  lit 

The  great  sun  up  to  lighten  it : 

Boys  know  new  things  every  day— 

When  they  study,  or  when  they  play,— 

When  they  idle,  or  sow  and  reap— 

But  no  boy  knows  when  he  goes  to  sleep. 

Boys  who  listen— or  should,  at  least,— 
May  know  that  the  round  old  earth  rolls  East  ;— 
And  know  that  the  ice  and  the  snow  and  the  rain- 
Ever  repeating  their  parts  again— 
Are  all  just  water  the  sunbeams  first 
Sip  from  the  earth  in  their  endless  thirst, 
And  pour  again  till  the  low  streams  leap.— 
But  no  boy  knows*  when  he  goes  to  sleep. 

*  s. 

A  boy  may  know  what  a  long  glad  while 
It  has  been  to  him  since  the  dawn's  first  smile, 
[15] 


NO  BOY   KNOWS 

When  forth  he  fared  in  the  realm  divine 
Of  brook-laced  woodland  and  spun-sunshine  ;  — 
He  may  know  each  call  of  his  truant  mates, 
And  the  paths  they  went,— and  the  pasture-gates 
Of  the  'cross-lots  home  through  the  dusk  so  deep.- 
But  no  boy  knows  when  he  goes  to  sleep. 

0  I  have  followed  me,  o'er  and  o'er, 

From  the  flagrant  drowse  on  the  parlor-floor, 
To  the  pleading  voice  of  the  mother  when 

1  even  doubted  I  heard  it  then— 

To  the  sense  of  a  kiss,  and  a  moonlit  room, 
And  dewy  odors  of  locust-bloom— 
A  sweet  white  cot — and  a  cricket's  cheep. — 
But  no  boy  knows  when  he  goes  to  sleep. 


[16] 


'NO   BOY  KNOWS  WHEN   HE  GOBS  TO  SLEEP." 


WHEN  WE   FIRST   PLAYED   "SHOW 


N'T  it  a  good  time, 
Long  Time  Ago  — 
When  we  all  were  little  tads 

And  first  played  "Show"  ! 
When  every  newer  day 

Wore  as  bright  a  glow 
As  the  ones  we  laughed  away— 
Long  Time  Ago  ! 

Calf  was  in  the  back  -lot  ; 

Clover  in  the  red  ; 
Bluebird  in  the  pear-tree  ; 

Pigeons  on  the  shed  ; 
Tom  a-chargin'  twenty  pins 

At  the  barn  ;  and  Dan 
Spraddled  out  just  like  "The 

'Injarubber  '-Man  !  " 

Me  and  Bub  and  Kusty, 

Eck  and  Dunk  and  Sid, 

'Tumblin'  on  the  sawdust 
Like  the  A-rabs  did  ; 
[19]       - 


WHEN  WE   FIRST  PLAYED   "SHOW" 

Jamesy  on  the  slack-rope 

In  a  wild  retreat, 
Grappling  back,  to  start  again— 

When  he  chalked  his  feet ! 


Was  n't  Eck  a  wonder, 

In  his  stocking-tights  ? 
[20] 


'JAMESY  ON   THE  SLACK-ROPE." 


WHEN   WE   FIRST  PLAYED   "SHOW" 

Was  n't  Dunk— his  leaping  lion- 
Chief  of  all  delights  ? 

Yes,  and  was  n't  "Little  Mack" 
Boss  of  all  the  Show,— 

Both  Old  Clown  and  Candy -Butcher— 
Long  Time  Ago ! 

Sid  the  Bareback-Eider ; 

And— oh-me-oh-wy  /— 
Bub,  the  spruce  Ring-master, 

Stepping  round  so  spry  !  — 
In  his  little  waist-and-trousers 

All  made  in  one, 
Was  there  a  prouder  youngster 

Under  the  sun ! 

And  NOW — who  will  tell  me, — 

Where  are  they  all  ? 
Dunk  's  a  sanatorium  doctor, 

Up  at  Waterfall ; 
Sid  's  a  city  street-contractor ; 

Tom  has  fifty  clerks ; 
And  Jamesy  he  's  the  "Iron  Magnate" 

Of  "The  Hecla  Works." 

And  Bub  's  old  and  bald  now, 
Yet  still  he  hangs  on,— 
[23] 


WHEN  WE   FIEST  PLAYED   "SHOW" 

Dan  and  Eck  and  "Little  Mack/' 

Long,  long  gone ! 
But  was  n't  it  a  good  time, 

Long  Time  Ago— 
When  we  all  were  little  tads 

And  first  played  "Show"  ! 


[24] 


GRACIE  wuz  allus  a  careless  tot ; 
But  Gracie  dearly  loved  her  doll, 

An'  played  wiv  it  on  the  winder-sill 
'Way  up-stairs,  when  she 

ought  to  not, 
An'    her   muvver  telled    -j 

her  so  an'  all ; 
But    she   won't   mind     \ — ^ ;  |  -\~^^_~i- 

what  she  say- till,  ^-f^..^.^'''^      •  • 
First   thing   she  know,    °^EZJ^ir~r 
her  dolly  fall  "TT^ff 

Clean  spang  out   o'  the  winder 

plumb 
Into  the  street !    An'  here  Grace 

come 
Down-stairs,  two  at  a  time,  ist 

wild 

An'  a-screainin',  "Oh,  my  child  ! 
my  child ! " 

Jule  wuz  a-bringin'  their  basket 

o'  clo'es 

Ist  then  into  their  hall  down  there,— 
[25] 


A  DIVERTED   TRAGEDY 

An'  she  1st  stop'  when  Gracie  bawl, 
An'  Jule  she  say  "She  1st  declare 
She  's  1st  in  time  ! "    An'  what  you  s'pose? 
She  sets  her  basket  down  in  the  hall, 
An'  wite  on  top  o'  the  snowy  clo'es 
Wuz  Grade's  dolly  a-layin'  there 
An'  ist  ain't  bu'st  ner  hurt  a-tall ! 


Nen  Gracie  smiled— ist  sobbed  an'  smiled— 

An'  cried,  "My  child  !  niy  precious  child  ! " 

[26]   * 


THE   RAMBO-TREE 

WHEN  Autumn  shakes  the  rambo-tree— 
It 's  a  long,  sweet  way  across  the  orchard  !— 

The  bird  sings  low  as  the  bumble-bee— 

It 's  a  long,  sweet  way  across  the  orchard  !— 

The  poor  shote-pig  he  says,  says  he  : 
"When  Autumn  shakes  the  rambo-tree 

There  's  enough  for  you  and  enough  for  me."  - 
It 's  a  long,  sweet  way  across  the  orchard. 

For  just  two  truant  lads  like  we, 
When  Autumn  shakes  the  rambo-tree 
There  's  enough  for  you  and  enough  for  me — 
Ifs  a  long,  sweet  way  across  the  orchard. 

When  Autumn  shakes  the  rambo-tree— 

It 's  a  long,  sweet  way  across  the  orchard  !— 
The  mole  digs  out  to  peep  and  see- 
It  's  a  long,  sweet  way  across  the  orchard  !— 
The  dusk  sags  down,  and  the  moon  swings  free, 
There  's  a  far,  lorn  call,  "~Pig-gee  I    Pig-gee ! " 
And  two  boys— glad  enough  for  three.— 
It 's  a  long,  sweet  way  across  the  orchard. 
[27  j 


THE   RAMBO-TREE 

For  just  two  truant  lads  like  we, 
When  Autumn  shakes  the  rambo-tree 
There  's  enough  for  you  and  enough  for  me 
lt  's  a  long,  sweet  way  across  the  orchard. 


[28] 


ft* 


'ACROSS  THE  ORCHARD." 


FIND   THE   FAVORITE 


OUR  three  cats  is  Maltese  cats, 
An'  they  's  two  that  's  white,— 

An'  bofe  of  'em  's  deef—wo*  that 's 
'Cause  their  eyes  ain't  right.— 


Uncle  say  that  Huxley  say 

Eyes  of  white  Maltese— 
When  they  don't  match  thataway- 

They  're  deef  as  you  please  ! 
[31] 


FIND   THE   FAVOKITE 

Girls,  they  like  our  white  cats  best, 
'Cause  they  're  white  as  snow, 

Yes,  an'  look  the  stylishest— 
But  they  're  deef,  you  know ! 

They  don't  know  their  names,  an'  don't 

Hear  us  when  we  call  'J| 

"Come  in,  Nick  an'  Finn  !  "—they  won't 
Come  fer  us  at  all !  •          - 

But  our  other  cat,  he  knows 

Mister  Nick  an'  Finn,—        •    "•"• 

Mowg  's  Ms  name,— an'  when  he  goes 
Fer  'em,  they  come  in-!'  * 

Mowgli  's  all  his  name— the  same 

Me  an'  Muwer  took 
Like  the  Wolf-Child's  other  name, 

In  "The  Jungul  Book." 

I  bet  Mowg  's  the  smartest  cat 

In  the  world  I— He  Js  not 
White,  but  mousy-plush,  with  that 

Smoky  gloss  he  's  got ! 

All 's  got  little  bells  to  ring, 
Kound  their  neck  ;  but  none 
[32] 


FIND   THE   FAVOEITE 

Only  Mowg  knows  anything— 
He  's  the  only  one  ! 

1 1st  'spect  sometimes  he  hate 
White  cats'  stupid  ways  :— 

He  won't  hardly  'sociate 
With  'em,  lots  o'  days ! 

Mowg  wants  in  where  we  air,— well, 

He  '11  ist  take  his  paw 
An'  ist  ring  an'  ring  his  bell 

There  till  me  er  Ma 

Er  somebody  lets  him  in 
Nen  an'  shuts  the  door.— 

An',  when  he  wants  out  ag'in, 
Nen  he  '11  ring  some  more. 

Ort  to  hear  our  Katy  tell ! 

She  sleeps  'way  up-stairs  ; 
An'  last  night  she  hear  Mowg's  bell 

Kingin'  round  somewheres.  .  .  . 

Trees  grows  by  her  winder.— So, 

She  lean  out  an'  see 
Mowg  up  there,  'way  out,  you  know, 

In  the  clingstone-tree  5— 
[33] 


FIND   THE  FAVORITE 

An' -sir  !  he  ist  hint  an'  ring,— 

Till  she  ketch  an'  plat 
Them  limbs  ; — neu  he  crawl  an'  spring 

In  where  Katy  's  at ! 


[84.] 


THE   BOY    PATRIOT 

I  WANT  to  be  a  Soldier  !— 

A  Soldier  !- 

A  Soldier  !— 

I  want  to  be  a  Soldier,  with  a  sabre  in  my  hand 
Or  a  little  carbine  rifle,  or  a  musket  on  my  shoulder, 
Or  just  a  snare-drum,  snarling  in  the  middle  of  the 

band ; 
I  want  to  hear,  high  overhead,  The  Old  Flag  flap  her 

wings 
While  all  the  Army,  following,  in  chorus  cheers  and 

sings ; 
I  want  to  hear  the  tramp  and  jar 

Of  patriots  a  million, 
As  gayly  dancing  off  to  war 
As  dancing  a  cotillion. 

I  want  to  ~be  a  Soldier  !— 

A  Soldier!— 

A  Soldier!— 

I  want  to  ~be  a  Soldier,  with  a  sabre  in  my  hand 
Or  a  little  carbine  rifle,  or  a  musket  on  my  shoulder, 
Or  just  a  snare-drum,  snarling  in  the  middle  of  the  band, 

[35] 


THE    BOY   PATRIOT 

I  want  to  see  the  battle  !— 

The  battle  !— 

The  battle  !- 

I  want  to  see  the  battle,  and  be  in  it  to  the  end  ;— 
I  want  to  hear  the  cannon  clear  their  throats  and 

catch  the  prattle 

Of  all  the  pretty  compliments  the  enemy  can  send  !  — 
And  then  I  know  my  wits  will  go,— and  where  I 

should  n't  be — 
Well,  there  's  the  spot,  in  any  fight,  that  you  may 

search  for  me. 
So,  when  our  foes  have  had  their  fill, 

Though  I  'm  among  the  dying, 
To  see  The  Old  Flag  flying  still, 
I  '11  laugh  to  leave  her  flying ! 

I  want  to  be  a  Soldier  !— 

A  Soldier! — 

A  Soldier! — 

I  want  to  be  a  Soldier,  with  a  sabre  in  my  hand 
Or  a  little  carbine  rifle,  or  a  musket  on  my  shoulder, 
Or  just  a  snare-drum,  snarling  m  the  middle  of  the  band. 


[36] 


'WHILE  ALL  THE  ARMY,    FOLLOWING,   IN   CHORUS  CHEERS  AND   SINGS. 


EXTREMES 


A     LITTLE    boy    once 
played  so  loud 

That  the  Thunder,  up  in 
a  thunder-cloud, 

Said,  "Since  I  can't  be 
heard,  why,  then 


I  '11  never,  never  thunder 
again ! " 

II 

And  a  little  girl  once  kept 
so  still 

That  she  heard  a  fly  on  the 
window-sill 

Whisper  and  say  to  a  lady 
bird,— 

"She  >s  the  stilliest  child  I 
ever  heard ! " 


INTELLECTUAL   LIMITATIONS 

PAKTJNTS  knows  lots  more  than  us, 
But  they  don't  know  all  things,— 

'Cause  we  ketch  'em,  lots  o'  times, 
Even  on  little  small  things. 

One  time  Winnie  ask'  her  Ma, 

At  the  winder,  sewin', 
What 's  the  wind  a-doin'  when 

It 's  a-not  a-blowm'  f 

Yes,  an'  'Del',  that  very  day, 
When  we  're  nearly  froze  out, 

He  ask'  Uncle  where  it  goes 
When  the  fire  goes  out? 

Nen  I  run  to  ask  my  Pa, 

That  way,  somepin'  funny ; 

But  I  can't  say  ist  but  "Say," 

When  he  turn  to  me  an'  say, 

"Well,  what  is  it,  Honey?" . 

[40] 


"  WHERE  IT  GOES 
WHEN  THE   FIRE  GOES  OUT?' 


A   MASQUE   OF   THE   SEASONS 

SCENE.— A  kitchen.  — Group  of  Children,  popping  corn.— 
The  Fairy  Queen  of  the  Seasons  discovered  in  the  smoke  of 
the  corn-popper. — Waving  her  wand,  and,  with  eerie,  sharp, 
imperious  ejaculations,  addressing  the  bespelled  auditors, 
who  neither  see  nor  hear  her  nor  suspect  her  presence. 

QUEEN 

SUMMER  or  Winter  or  Spring  or  Fall,— 
Which  do  you  like  the  best  of  all? 

LITTLE   JASPER 

When  I  'ni  dressed  warm  as  warm  can  be, 

And  with  boots,  to  go 

Through  the  deepest  snow, 
Winter-time  is  the  time  for  me  ! 

QUEEN 

Summer  or  Winter  or  Spring  or  Fall,— 
Which  do  you  like  the  best  of  all? 
[43] 


A  MASQUE  OF  THE  SEASONS 

LITTLE  MILDEED 

I  like  blossoms,  and  birds  that  sing ; 
The  grass  and  the  dew, 
And  the  sunshine,  too,— 

So,  best  of  all  I  like  the  Spring. 

QUEEN 

Summer  or  Winter  or  Spring  or  Fall,— 
Which  do  you  like  the  best  of  all  ? 

LITTLE   MANDEVILLE 

O  little  friends,  I  most  rejoice 
When  I  hear  the  drums 
As  the  Circus  comes,— 

So  Summer-time  's  my  special  choice. 

QUEEN 

Summer  or  Winter  or  Spring  or  Fall,— 
Which  do  you  like  the  best  of  all  ? 

LITTLE   EDITH 

Apples  of  ruby,  and  pears  of  gold, 

And  grapes  of  blue 

That  the  bee  stings  through.— 
Fall— it  is  all  that  my  heart  can  hold  ! 
[44] 


'  THE   FAIRY   QUEEN   OF  THE  SEASONS." 


A  MASQUE  OF  THE  SEASONS 

QUEEN 

Soh  !  iny  lovelings  and  pretty  dears, 
You  Ve  each  a  favorite,  it  appears,— 
Summer  and  Winter  and  Spring  and  Fall. 
That  ?s  the  reason  I  send  them  all ! 


[47] 


THOMAS    THE   PRETENDER 

TOMMY  's  alluz  playin'  jokes, 
An'  actin'  up,  an'  foolin'  folks ; 
An'  wunst  one  time  he  creep 
In  Pa's  big  chair,  he  did,  one  night, 
An'  squint  an'  shut  his  eyes  bofe  tight, 

An'    say,    "Now    I    'm 

asleep." 
An'  nen  we  knowed,  an'  Ma 

know'  too, 

He  ain't  asleep  no  more  'n 
you! 

An'  wunst  he  clumbed  on 

our  back-fence 
An'  flop  his  arms  an'  nen 

commence 

To  crow,  like  he 's  a  hen  ; 
But  when  he  failed  off,  like 

he  done, 
He  did  n't  fool  us  childern 

none, 

Ner  did  n't  crow  again. 
An'  our  Hired  Man,  as  he  come  by, 
Says,  "Tom  can't  crow,  but  he  kin  cry." 
[48] 


"  '  PORE  PA  !   PORE  PA  !  "  ' 


THOMAS  THE  PRETENDER 

An'  one  time  wunst  Tom  'tend'-like  lie  's 
His  Pa  an'  goin'  to  rob  the  bees ; 

An',  first  he  know— oh,  dear  \ 
They  ist  come  swarmin'  out  o'  there 
An'  sting  him,  an'  stick  in  his  hair — 

An'  one  got  in  his  yeer  !— 
An'  Uncle  sigh  an'  say  to  Ma, 
An'  grease  the  welts,  "Pore  Pa !  pore  Pa ! " 


[51] 


WHEN  Dicky  was  sick 

In  the  night,  and  the  clock, 
As  he  listened,  said  "Tick- 

Atty-tick-atty— tock ! " 
He  said  that  it  said, 

Every  time  it  said  "Tick," 
It  said  "Sick,"  instead, 

And  he  heard  it  say  "Sick  ! " 
And  when  it  said  "Tick- 

Atty— tick-atty— tock," 
He  said  it  said  "Sick- 

Atty— sick-atty— sock  ! " 
And  he  tried  to  see  then, 

But  the  light  was  too  dim, 
Yet  he  heard  it  again— 

And  't  was  talking  to  him  ! 

And  then  it  said  "Sick- 
Atty— sick-atty— sick ! 

You  poor  little  Dick- 

Atty— Dick-atty— Dick  !— 

Have  you  got  the  hick- 
Atties?    Hi !  send  for  Doc 
[52] 


LITTLE  DICK  AND   THE   CLOCK 

To  hurry  up  quick  - 

Atty—  quick-atty — quock, 

And  heat  a  hot  brick- 
Atty— brick-atty— brock, 


And  rikle-ty  wrap  it 
And  clickle-ty  clap  it 
Against  his  cold  feet- 

Al-ty— weep-aty— eepaty- 

he  goes,  slapit- 
Ty— slippaty— sleepaty  ! " 
[53] 


FOOL-YOUNGENS 

ME  an'  Bert  an'  Minnie-Belle 
Knows  a  joke,  an'  we  won't  tell ! 
No,  we  don't— 'cause  we  don't  know 
Why  we  got  to  laughin'  so  ; 
But  we  got  to  laughin'  so, 
We  ist  kep'  a-laughin'. 

Wind  wuz  bio  win'  in  the  tree— 
An'  wuz  only  ist  us  three 
Playin'  there ;  an'  ever'  one 
Ketched  each  other,  like  we  done, 
Squintin'  up  there  at  the  sun 
Like  we  wuz  a-laughin'. 

Nothin'  funny  anyway ; 
But  I  laughed,  an'  so  did  they— 
An'  we  all  three  laughed,  an'  nen 
Squint'  our  eyes  an'  laugh'  again : 
Ner  we  did  n't  ist  p'terf- 

We  wuz  shore-enough  laughin'. 
[54]   ' 


'•SQUINT'  OUR  EYES  AN'  LAUGH'  AGAIN." 


FOOL-YOUNGENS 

We  1st  laugh'  an'  laugh',  tel  Bert 
Say  he  can't  quit  an'  it  hurt. 
Nen  I  liowl,  an'  Minnie-Belle 
She  tear  up  the  grass  a  spell 
An'  ist  stop  her  yeers  an'  yell 
Like  she  'd  die  a-laughin'. 

Never  sich  fool-youngens  yit ! 
Nothin'  funny,— not  a  bit  !— 
But  we  laugh'  so,  tel  we  whoop' 
Purt'-nigh  like  we  have  the  croup- 
All  so  hoarse  we  'd  wheeze  an'  whoop 
An'  ist  choke  a-laughin'. 


[57] 


THE   KATYDIDS 


SOMETIMES  I  keep 

From  going  to  sleep, 

To  hear  the  katydids  "cheep-cheep !  " 

And  think  they  say 

Their  prayers  that  way  j 

But  katydids  don't  have  to  pray  ! 

I  listen  when 
They  cheep  again ; 
And  so,  I  think,  they  're 

singing  then  ! 
But,  no  ;  I  'm  wrong,— 
The  sound  's  too  long 
And  all-alike  to  be  a 

song ! 

I  think,  "Well,  there  ! 

I  do  declare, 

If  it  is  neither  song  nor 

prayer, 

It 's  talk—  and  quite 
Too  vain  and  light 
For  me  to  listen  to  all 

night ! " 
[58] 


THE  KATYDIDS 

And  so,  I  smile, 

And  think, -"Now  I  '11 

Not  listen  for  a  little  while  !  "— 

Then,  sweet  and  clear, 

Next  "cheep  "  I  hear 

'S  a  Jciss.  .  .  .  Good  morning,  Mommy  dear  ! 


[59] 


BILLY   AND   HIS   DRUM 

Ho  !  it 's  conie,  kids,  come ! 

With  a  bim  !  bam  !  bum  ! 

Here  's  little  Billy  bangin'  on  his 

big  bass  drum ! 

He  's  a-marchiu'  round  the  room, 
With  his  feather-duster  plume 
A-noddin'  an'  a-bobbin'  with  his 

bim  !  bom  !  boom  ! 

Looky,  little  Jane  an'  Jim  ! 
Will  you  only  look  at  him, 
A-humpin'  an'  a-thumpin'  with  his 

bam  !  bom  !  bim  ! 
Has  the  Day  o'  Judgment  come 
Er  the  New  Mi-len-nee-um1? 
Er  is  it  only  Billy  with  his 

bim  !  bam  !  bum  ! 
[60] 


"  HE  's  A-MARCHIN'  ROUND  THE  ROOM." 


BILLY  AND  HIS  DRUM 

I  'm  a-comin' ;  yes,  I  am— 

Jim  an'  Sis,  an'  Jane  an'  Sam  ! 

"We  '11  all  march  off  with  Billy  an'  his 

bom  !  bim  !  bam  ! 
Come  hurrawin'  as  you  come, 
Er  they  '11  think  you  're  deef-an'-dumb 
Ef  you  don't  hear  little  Billy  an'  his 

big  bass  drum ! 


[63] 


THE  NOBLE   OLD   ELM 

O  BIG  OLD  TREE,  so  tall  an'  fine, 

Where  all  us  childern  swings  an'  plays, 
Though  neighbers  says  you  're  on  the  line 

Between  Pa's  house  an'  Mr.  Gray's,— 
Us  childern  used  to  almost  fuss, 

Old  Tree,  about  you  when  we  'd  play.  — 
We  'd  argy  you  belonged  to  us, 

An'  them  Gray-kids  the  other  way  ! 

Till  Elsie,  one  time  she  wuz  here 

An'  play  in'  wiv  us— Don't  you  mind, 
Old  Mister  Tree?— an'  purty  near 

She  scolded  us  the  hardest  kind 
Fer  quar'llin'  'bout  you  thataway, 

An'  say  she  'II  find— ef  we  '11  keep  still— 
Whose  tree  you  air/er  shore,  she  say, 

An'  settle  itfer  good,  she  will ! 
[64] 


"THE  OLD  TREE  SAYS  HE  "s  ALL  OUR  TREE." 


THE  NOBLE   OLD   ELM 

So  all  keep  still :  An'  nen  she  gone 

An'  pat  the  Old  Tree,  an'  says  she,— 
"Whose  air  you,  Tree?"  an'  nen  let  on 

Like  she  's  a-list'nin'  to  the  Tree,— 
An'  nen  she  say,  "It 's  settled,— 'cause 

The  Old  Tree  says  he  's  all  our  tree— 
His  trunk  belongs  to  bofe  your  Pas, 

But  shade  belongs  to  you  an'  me." 


L67] 


THE   PENALTY   OF  GENIUS 


little  'Pollus  Morton  he  's 
A-go'  to  speak  a  piece,  w'y,  nen 


[68] 


THE  PENALTY   OF  GENIUS 

The  Teacher  smiles  an'  says  'at  she  7s 

Most  proud,  of  all  her  little  men 
An'  women  in  her  school— 'cause  'Poll 
He  allus  speaks  the  best  of  all. 

An'  nen  she  '11  pat  him  on  the  cheek, 
An'  hold  her  finger  up  at  you 

Before  he  speak'  j  an'  when  he  speak' 
It 's  ist  some  piece  she  learn'  him  to  ! 

'Cause  he  's  her  favor-ite.  .  .  .  An'  she 

Ain't  pop'lar  as  she  ust  to  be  ! 

When  'Pollus  Morton  speaks,  w'y,  nen 
Ist  all  the  other  childern  knows 

They  're  smart  as  him  an'  smart-again  !— 
Ef  they  carft  speak  an'  got  fine  clo'es, 

Their  Parunts  loves  'em  more  'n  'Poll- 

Us  Morton,  Teacher,  speech,  an'  all ! 


[69] 


EVENSONG 

LAY  away  the  story,— 

Though  the  theme  is  sweet, 
There  's  a  lack  of  something  yet, 

Leaves  it  incomplete  : — 
There  's  a  nameless  yearning— 

Strangely  undefined — 
For  a  story  sweeter  still 

Than  the  written  kind. 

Therefore  read  no  longer— 

I  've  no  heart  to  hear 
But  just  something  you  make  up, 

0  my  mother  dear. — 
"With  your  arms  around  me, 

Hold  me,  folded-eyed, — 
Only  let  your  voice  go  on— 

1  '11  be  satisfied. 

[70] 


'THEREFORE  READ    NO   LONGER.' 


"iGO    AND    AGO 


WE  'RE  The  Twins  from  Aunt  Marinn's, 

Igo  and  Ago. 
When  Dad  comes,  the  show  begins  ! — 

Iram,  coram,  dago. 

Dad  he  says  he  named  us  two 

Igo  and  Ago 
For  a  poem  he  always  knew, 

Iram,  coram,  dago. 

Then  he  was  a  braw  Scotchman — 
Igo  and  Ago. — 

Now  he  's  Scotch- Anier-i-can. 

Irani,  coram,  dago. 

"Hey  !"  he  cries,  and  pats  his  knee, 

"Igo  and  Ago, 
My  twin  bairnies,  ride  wi'  me — 

Irani,  coram,  dago  ! " 
[  73  ] 


"Here,"  he  laughs,  "ye  've  each  a  leg, 

Igo  and  Ago, 
Gleg  as  Tarn  O'Shanter's  'Meg' ! 

Iram,  coram,  dago  ! " 
[74] 


THE   TWINS 

Then  we  mount,  with  shrieks  of  mirth— 
Igo  and  Ago,— 

The  two  gladdest  twins  on  earth  ! 
Irani,  coram,  dago. 

Wade  and  Silas- Walker  cry,— 
"Igo  and  Ago— 

Annie  's  kissin'  'em  ( good-bye' !" — 
Iram,  coram,  dago. 

Aunty  waves  us  fond  farewells.— 

"Igo  and  Ago," 

Granny  pipes,  "tak  care  yersels  ! " 
Iram,  coram,  dago. 


THE   LITTLE   LADY 

O  THE  LITTLE  LADY  's  dainty 

As  the  picture  in  a  book, 
And  her  hands  are  creamy- whiter 

Than  the  water-lilies  look  ; 
Her  laugh  's  the  undrowu'd  music 

Of  the  maddest  meadow-brook. — 
Yet  all  in  vain  I  praise  The  Little  Lady  ! 

Her  eyes  are  blue  and  dewy 

As  the  glimmering  Summer-dawn,— 

Her  face  is  like  the  eglantine 
Before  the  dew  is  gone  ; 

And  were  that  honied  mouth  of  hers 
A  bee's  to  feast  upon, 

He  'd  be  a  bee  bewildered,  Little  Lady  ! 

Her  brow  makes  light  look  sallow  ; 

And  the  sunshine,  I  declare, 
Is  but  a  yellow  jealousy 

Awakened  by  her  hair — 
For  O  the  dazzling  glint  of  it 

Nor  sight  nor  soul  can  bear,  — 
So  Love  goes  groping  for  The  Little  Lady. 
[76] 


SHE   'S  BUT  A   RACING  SCHOOL-GIRL." 


THE   LITTLE   LADY 

And  yet  she  ?s  neither  Nymph  nor  Fay, 

Nor  yet  of  Angelkind  :— 
She  's  but  a  racing  school-girl,  with 

Her  hair  blown  out  behind 
And  tremblingly  unbraided  by 

The  fingers  of  the  Wind, 
As  it  wildly  swoops  upon  The  Little  Lady. 


[79] 


"COMPANY   MANNERS" 


WHEN  Bess  gave  her  Dollies  a  Tea,  said  she,- 
"It 's  unpolite,  when  they  's  Company, 
To  say  you  've  drinked  two  cups,  you  see,— 
But  say  you  've  drinked  a  couple  of  tea." 


[80] 


IN   FERVENT   PRAISE   OF   PICNICS 


PICNICS  is  fun  'at 's  purty  hard 

to  beat. 

purt'-nigh  ruther  go  to  them 
\T\  <M         than  eat. 

\f»\Ajf 

u  j§*  I  purt'-nigh  ruther  go 

to  them  than  go 
With  our  Charfotty  to  the  Trick- 
TNVf5IJ  Dog  Show. 


[81] 


THE  GOOD,  OLD-FASHIONED  PEOPLE 

WHEN  we  hear  Uncle  Sidney  tell 

About  the  long-ago 
An'  old,  old  friends  he  loved  so  well 

"When  he  was  young— My-oh  !  — 
Us  childern  all  wish  we  Jd  'a'  bin 
A-livin'  then  with  Uncle, — so 
We  could  a-kindo'  happened  in 

On  them  old  friends  he  used  to  know  !  — 
The  good,  old-fashioned  people— 
The  hale,  hard-working  people— 
The  kindly  country  people 
'At  Uncle  used  to  know  ! 

They  was  God's  people,  Uncle  says, 

An'  gloried  in  His  name, 
An'  worked,  without  no  selfishness, 

An'  loved  their  neighbers  same 
As  they  was  kin  :  An'  when  they  biled 

Their  tree -molasses,  in  U.  o  Spring, 
Er  butchered  in  the  Fall,  they  smiled 

An'  sheered  with  all  jist  ever' thing  !— 
[82] 


"  THEY   WAS  GOD'S   PEOPLE." 

. 


THE   GOOD,  OLD-FASHIONED    PEOPLE 

The  good,  old-fashioned  people— 
The  hale,  hard-working  people— 
The  kindly  country  people 
'At  Uncle  used  to  know  ! 

He  tells  about  'em,  lots  o'  times, 

Till  we  'd  all  ruther  hear 
About  'em  than  the  Nurs'ry  Ehymes 

Er  Fairies— mighty  near  !— 
Only  sometimes  he  stops  so  long 

An'  then  talks  on  so  low  an'  slow, 
It 's  purt'-nigh  sad  as  any  song 
To  listen  to  him  talkin'  so 

Of  the  good,  old-fashioned  people— 
The  hale,  hard-working  people— 
The  kindly  country  people 
'At  Uncle  used  to  know  ! 


[85] 


THE   BEST   TIMES 


WHEN  Old  Folks  they  wuz  young 

like  us 
An*  little  as  you  an*  me, — 


Them  wuz  the  lest  times 

ever  icuz 
Er  ever  goivS  to  be! 


[86] 


'THEM  WUZ  TUB   BEST  TIMES  EVER    WUZ." 


"  HIK-TEE-DIK ! " 


THE    WAR-CRY    OF    BILLY   AJSTD   BUDDY 

WHEN  two  little  boys— renowned  but  for  noise— 

Hik-tee-dik  !     Billy  and  Buddy  !— 
May  hurt   a   whole   school/ 
and  the  head  it  employs, 
Hik-tee-dik!      Billy    and 

Buddy ! 
Such    loud     and     hilarious, 

pupils  indeed 

Need      learning— and      yet 
something  further  they 
need, 
Though  fond  hearts  that  love  them  may  sorrow  and 

bleed. 
Hik-tee-dik  !     Billy  and  Buddy ! 

O  the  schoolmarm  was  cool,  and  in  no  wise  a  fool ; 

Hik-tee-dik  !  Billy  and  Buddy ! 
And  in  ruling  her  ranks  it  was  Tier  rule  to  rule  ; 

Hik-tee-dik  !  Billy  and  Buddy  ! 
[89] 


"HIK-TEE-DIK!" 

So  when  these  two  pupils  conspired,  every  day, 
Some  mad  piece  of  mischief,  with  whoop  and  hoo-ray, 
That  hurt  yet  defied  her,— how  happy  were  they  !— 
Hik-tee-dik  !     Billy  and  Buddy  ! 

At  the  ring  of  the  bell  they  'd  rush  in  with  a  yell— 

Hik-tee-dik  !     Billy  and  Buddy  ! 
And  they'd  bang  the  school-door  till  the  plastering  fell, 

Hik-tee-dik  !     Billy  and  Buddy  ! 
They  'd  clinch  as  they  came,  and  pretend  not  to  see 
As  they  knocked  her  desk  over— then,  My !  and  O-me  ! 
How  awfully  sorry  they  'd  both  seem  to  be  ! 

Hik-tee-dik  !     Billy  and  Buddy  ! 


[90] 


"HIK-TEE-DIK! 


This  trick  seemed  so  neat  and  so  safe  a  conceit,  — 

Hik-tee-dik  !     Billy  and  Buddy  !— 
They  played  it  three 

times  —  though 

the    third   they 

were  beat  ; 
Hik-tee-dik!    Bil-t 

ly      and     Bud 

dy  ! 
For  the  teacher,  she 

righted  her  desk 

—raised  the  lid 
And      folded      and 

packed       away 

each  little  kid— 
Closed  the  incident 

so—  yes,  and  locked  it,  she  did— 
Hik-tee-dik  !     Billy  and  Buddy  ! 


A   CHRISTMAS   MEMORY 

PA  he  bringed  me  here  to  stay 
'Til  my  Ma  she  's  well. — An'  nen 

He  's  go'  hitch  up,  Chris'mus-day, 
An'  come  take  me  back  again 

Wher'  my  Ma  's  at !    Won't  I  be 

Tickled  when  he  comes  fer  me  ! 

My  Ma  an'  my  A'nty  they 

'Uz  each-uvver's  sisters.     Pa— 

A'nty  telled  me,  th'  other  day, — 
He  corned  here  an'  married  Ma.  .  . 

A'nty  said  nen,  "Go  run  play, 

I  must  work  now  ! "  .  .  .  An'  I  saw, 

When  she  turn'  her  face  away, 
She  'uz  cryin'.— An'  neu  I 
'Tend-like  I  "run  play"— an'  cry. 

This-here  house  o'  A'nty's  wher' 
They  'uz  borned— my  Ma  an'  her  !  — 
An'  her  Ma  'uz  my  Ma's  Ma, 
An'  her  Pa  'uz  my  Ma's  Pa— 
[92] 


A  CHRISTMAS  MEMORY 

Ain't  that  funny  ?— An'  they  're  dead  : 
An'  this-here  's  "th'  ole  Homestead."— 
An'  my  A'nty  said,  an'  cried, 
It 's  mine,  too,  ef  my  Ma  died— 
Don't  know  what  she  mean— 'cause  my 
Ma  she  's  nuwer  go'  to  die  ! 


[95] 


When  Pa  bringed  me  here  't  'uz  night— 
'Way  dark  night !     An'  A'nty  spread 

Me  a  piece— an'  light  the  light 
An'  say  I  must  go  to  bed.— 
I  cry  not  to— but  Pa  said, 
"Be  good  boy  now,  like  you 

telled 
Mommy  'at  you  're  go'  to 

be!" 

An',  when  he  'uz  kissin'  me 
My  good  night,  his  cheek's 

all  wet 
An'  taste  salty.— An'  he  held 

Wite  close  to  me  an'  rocked  some 

An'  laughed-like— 'til  A'nty  come 

Git  me  while  he  's  rockin'  yet. 


A'nty  he'p  me,  'til  I  be 

Purt'-nigh  strip-pud— nen  hug  me 

In  bofe  arms  an'  lif  me  'way 

Up  in  her  high  bed— an'  pray 

Wiv  me,— 'bout  my  Ma— an'  Pa— 

An'  ole  Santy  Glaus— an'  Sleigh— 
An'  Eeindeers  an'  little  Drum— 
Yes,  an'  Picture-books,  "Tom  Thumb/' 

An'  "Three  Bears,"  an'  ole  "Fee-Faw"— 
[96] 


A  CHRISTMAS   MEMORY 

Yes,  an'  "Tweedle-Dee"  an'  "Bum," 
An'  "White  Knight"  an'  "Squidjicum," 
An'  most  things  you  ever  saw  !— 
An'  when  A'nty  kissed  me,  she 
'Uz  all  cryin'  over  me  ! 

9 

Don't  want  Santy  Glaus— ner  things 
Any  kind  he  ever  brings  !— 
Don't  want  A'nty  !— Don't  want  Pa  !— 
I  ist  only  want  my  Ma  1 


[97] 


"OLD   BOB   WHITE" 

OLD  Bob  White  's  a  funny  bird  !— 
Funniest  you  ever  heard  !— 

Hear  him  whistle,— "Old— Bob—  White ! " 
You  can  hear  him,  clean  from  where 
He  's  'way  'crosst  the  wheat-field  there, 
Whistlin'  like  he  did  n't  care— 

"Old— Bob—  White!" 


[98] 


1  WHEN  WE   DROVE  TO  HARMONY. 


"O;LD   BOB   WHITE" 

Whistles  alluz  1st  the  same— 

So  's  we  won't  fergit  his  name  !— 

Hear  him  say  it?—  "Old—  Bob—  White!" 
There  !  he  's  whizzed  off  down  the  lane  — 
Gone  back  where  his  folks  is  stayin'— 
Hear  him?—  There  he  goes  again,— 
"Old-Bob-  White!" 

When  boys  ever  tries  to  git 

Clos't  to  him—  how  quick  he  '11  quit 

Whistlin'  his  "Old—  Bob—  White!" 
"  Whoo-rhoo-rhoo  !  "  he  's  up  an'  flew, 
1st  a-purt'-nigh  skeerin'  you 
Into  fits  !—  'At  's  what  he  '11  do.- 

"Old—  Eol)-  White!" 


Wuust  our  Hired  Man  an'  me, 
When  we  drove  to  Harmony, 

Saw  one,  whistlin'  "Old—  Bob—  White!" 
An'  we  drove  mte  Clos't,  an'  I 
Saw  him  an'  he  did  n't  fly,— 
Birds  likes  horses,  an'  that  's  why. 

"Old-Bob-  White!" 

One  time,  Uncle  Sidney  says, 
Wunst  he  rob'  a  Bob  White's  nes' 
Of  the  eggs  of  "Old  Bob  White"  j 
[101] 


"OLD  BOB  WHITE" 

Ken  he  hatched  'em  wiv  a  hen 
An'  her  little  chicks,  an'  nen 
They  1st  all  flewed  off  again ! 

"Old— Bob—  White!" 


[102] 


[1869] 

I 
ONE  OF  HIS  ANIMAL  STORIES 

Now,  Tudens,  you  sit  on  this  knee— and  'scuse 

It  having  no  side-saddle  on ;— and,  Jeems, 

You  sit  on  this— and  don't  you  wobble  so 

And  chug  my  old  shins  with  your  coppertoes  ;— 

And,  all  the  rest  of  you,  range  round  someway,— 

Ride  on  the  rockers  and  hang  to  the  arms 

Of  our  old-time  splint-bottom  carryall  !— 

Do  anything  but  squabble  for  a  place, 

Or  push  or  shove  or  scrouge,  or  breathe  out  loud, 

Or  chew  wet,  or  knead  taffy  in  my  beard  !— 

Do  anything  almost— act  am/way,— 

Only  keep  still,  so  I  can  hear  myself 

Trying  to  tell  you  "just  one  story  more  ! " 

ONE  winter  afternoon  my  father,  with 
A  whistle  to  our  dog,  a  shout  to  us— 
His  two  boys— six  and  eight  years  old  we  were,— 
Started  off  to  the  woods,  a  half  a  mile 
From  home,  where  he  was  chopping  wood.  We  raced, 
[103] 


A  SESSION  WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY 

We  slipped  and  slid  ;  reaching,  at  last,  the  north 
Side  of  Tharp's  corn-field.— There  we  struck  what 

seemed 

To  be  a  coon-track— so  we  all  agreed : 
And  father,  who  was  not  a  hunter,  to 
Our  glad  surprise,  proposed  we  follow  it. 
The  snow  was  quite  five  inches  deep  ;  and  we, 
Keen  on  the  trail,  were  soon  far  in  the  woods. 
Our  old  dog,  "King,"  ran  nosing  the  fresh  track 
With  whimpering  delight,  far  on  ahead. 
After  following  the  trail  more  than  a  mile 
To  northward,  through  the  thickest  winter  woods 
We  boys  had  ever  seen,— all  suddenly 
He  seemed  to  strike  another  trail ;  and  then 
Our  joyful  attention  was  drawn  to 
Old  "King"— leaping  to  this  side,  then  to  that, 
Of  a  big,  hollow,  old  oak-tree,  which  had 
Been  blown  down  by  a  storm  some  years  before. 
There — all  at  once — out  leapt  a  lean  old  fox 
From  the  black  hollow  of  a  big  bent  limb,— 
Hey  !  how  he  scudded  ! — but  with  our  old  "King" 
Sharp  after  him— and  father  after  "Ring"  — 
We  after  father,  near  as  we  could  hold  ! 
And  father  noticed  that  the  fox  kept  just 
About  four  feet  ahead  of  "King  "—just  that — 
No  farther,  and  no  nearer  !     Then  he  said  :— 
"There  are  young  foxes  in  that  tree  back  there, 
[104] 


"A   BIG,  HOLLOW,  OLD    OAK-TREE,  WHICH   HAD 
BEEN  BLOWN  DOWN  BY  A  STORM." 


A  SESSION   WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY 

And  the  mother-fox  is  drawing  'King'  and  us 
Away  from  their  nest  there  ! "  "Oh,  le'  's  go  back  !— 
Do  le'  's  go  back  ! "  we  little  vandals  cried, — 

"Le'  's  go  back,  quick,  and  find  the  little  things— 
Please,  father  !— Yes,  and  take  'em  home  for  pets— 
'Cause  '  Ring '  he  '11  kill  the  old  fox  anyway  ! " 
So  father  turned  at  last,  and  back  we  went, 
And  father  chopped  a  hole  in  the  old  tree 
About  ten  feet  below  the  limb  from  which 
The  old  fox  ran,  and— Bless  their  little  lives  !— 
There,  in  the  hollow  of  the  old  tree-trunk— 
There,  on  a  bed  of  warm  dry  leaves  and  moss— 
There,  snug  as  any  bug  in  any  rug — 
We  found— one— two— three— four,  and,  jes-sir,five 
Wee,  weenty-teenty  baby-foxes,  with 
Their  eyes  just  barely  opened— Cute  f— my-oh  !— 
The  cutest— the  most  cunning  little  things 
Two  boys  ever  saw,  in  all  their  lives  ! 

"Kaw  weather  for  the  little  fellows  now  /" 
Said  father,  as  though  talking  to  himself,— 

"Raw  weather,  and  no  home  now!"— And  off  came 
His  warm  old  "waumus  "  ;  and  in  that  he  wrapped 
The  helpless  little  animals,  and  held 
Them  soft  and  warm  against  him  as  he  could,— 
And  home  we  happy  children  followed  him.— 
Old  "Ring  "  did  not  reach  home  till  nearly  dusk  : 
The  mother-fox  had  led  him  a  long  chase— 
[107] 


A  SESSION  WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY 

"Yes,  and  a  fool's  chase,  too  ! "  he  seemed  to  say, 
And  looked  ashamed  to  hear  us  praising  him. 
But,  mother— well,  we  could  not  understand 
Her  acting  as  she  did— and  we  so  pleased ! 
I  can  see  yet  the  look  of  pained  surprise 
And  deep  compassion  of  her  troubled  face 
When  father  very  gently  laid  his  coat, 
With  the  young  foxes  in  it,  on  the  hearth 
Beside  her,  as  she  brightened  up  the  fire. 
She  urged— for  the  old  fox's  sake  and  theirs— 
That  they  be  taken  back  to  the  old  tree  ; 
But  father— for  our  wistful  sakes,  no  doubt- 
Said  we  would  keep  them,  and  would  try  our  best 
To  raise  them.     And  at  once  he  set  about 
Building  a  snug  home  for  the  little  things 
Out  of  an  old  big  bushel -basket,  with 
Its  fractured  handle  and  its  stoven  ribs : 
So,  lining  and  padding  this  all  cosily, 
He  snuggled  in  its  little  tenants,  and 
Called  in  John  Wesley  Thomas,  our  hired  man, 
And  gave  him  in  full  charge,  with  much  advice 
Kegarding  the  just  care  and  sustenance  of 
Young  foxes.— "John,"  he  said,  "you  feed  'em  milk- 
Warm  milk,  John  Wesley  !     Yes,  and  Tceep  'em  by 
The  stove— and  keep  your  stove  a-roarm',  too, 
Both  night  and  day  !— And  keep  'em  covered  up— 
Not  smothered,  John,  but  snug  and  comfortable.— 
[108] 


m  j 


'THE  YOUNG  FOXES  IN  IT,  ON  THE  HEARTH  BESIDE  HER. 


A  SESSION   WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY 

And  now,  John  Wesley  Thomas,  first  and  last,— 

You  feed  'em  milk— fresh  milk— and  always  warm— 

Say  five  or  six  or  seven  times  a  day— 

Of  course  we  '11  grade  that  by  the  way  they  thrive." 

B,ut,  for  all  sanguine  hope,  and  care,  as  well, 

The  little  fellows  did  not  thrive  at  all.— 

Indeed,  with  all  our  care  and  vigilance, 

By  the  third  day  of  their  captivity 

The  last  survivor  of  the  fated  five 

Squeaked,  like  some  battered  little  rubber  toy 

Just  clean  worn  out— And  that 's  just  what  it  was  ! 

And— nights,— the  cry  of  the  mother-fox  for  her 

young 

Was  heard,  with  awe,  for  long  weeks  afterward. 
And  we  boys,  every  night,  would  go  to  the  door 
And,  peering  out  in  the  darkness,  listening, 
Could  hear  the  poor  fox  in  the  black  bleak  woods 
Still  calling  for  her  little  ones  in  vain. 
As,  all  mutely,  we  returned  to  the  warm  fireside, 
Mother  would  say  :  "How  would  you  like  for  me 
To  be  out  there,  this  dark  night,  in  the  cold  woods, 
Calling  for  my  children  ? " 


[111] 


A  SESSION   WITH  UNCLE   SIDNEY 


II 


UNCLE  HEIGHTENS  UP— 

UNCLE  he  says  'at  'way  down  in  the  sea 
Ever'thing  's  1st  like  it  used  to  be :— 

He   says  they 's  mermaids, 

an'  mermens,  too, 
'  little  merchildern,  like 

me  an'  you— 

Little   merboys,    with   tops 
an'  balls, 

An'   little    mergirls,   with 
little  merdolls. 

UNCLE    SIDNEY   's   vurry 

proud 

Of  little  Leslie- Janey, 
'Cause  she  's  so  smart,  an' 

goes  to  school 

Clean  'way  in  Pennsylvany ! 
[112] 


'AN'   ALL  BE  POETS  AN1   ALL  RECITE.' 


A  SESSION  WITH  UNCLE   SIDNEY 


She  print'  an'  sent  a  postul- 

card 

To  Uncle  Sidney,  telling 
How  glad  he  '11  be  to  hear 

that  she 
"Toock  the  onners  in  Speling." 


UNCLE  he  learns  us  to  rhyme  an'  write 

An'  all  be  poets  an'  all  re 
cite  : 

His  little-est  poet  's  his 
little -est  niece, 

An'  this  is  her  little-est  poe 
try-piece. 


[115] 


A  SESSION  WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY 


III 


SINGS  A   "WINKY-TOODEN"   SONG- 


O  HERE'S  a  little  rhyme 

for  the  Spring-  or 

Summer-time— 
An    a-ho-winky-too- 

den-an-a-ho ! — 
Just  a  little  bit  o'  tune 

you    can    twitter, 

May  or  June, 
An    a-ho-winky-too- 

den-an-a-ho ! 
It  's  a  song  that  soars 

and  sings, 
As  the  birds  that  twang 

their  wings 
Or   the   katydids   and 

things 
Thus  and   so,   don't 

you  know, 
An    a-ho-winky-too- 

den-an-a-ho ! 


[116] 


A  SESSION   WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY 

It 's  a  song  just  broken  loose,  with  no  reason  or 
excuse— 

An  a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho ! 
You  can  sing  along  with  it— or  it  matters  not  a  bit- 

An  a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho ! 
It 's  a  lovely  little  thing 
That  'most  any  one  could  sing 
With  a  ringle-dingle-ding, 

Soft  and  low,  don't  you  know, 

An  a-ho-winky-tooden-an-a-ho ! 


[117] 


IV 

AND  MAKES  NTJRSEKY   EHYMES 

1 
THE    DINERS    IN    THE    KITCHEN 


CUE  dog  Fred 
Et  the  bread. 


Our  dog  Dash 
Et  the  hash. 
[118] 


A  SESSION   WITH   UNCLE  SIDNEY 


Our  dog  Pete 
Et  the  meat. 


Our  dog  Davy 
Et  the  gravy. 


Our  dog  Toffy 
Et  the  coffee. 
[119] 


A   SESSION   WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY 


Our  dog  Jake 
Et  the  cake. 


Our  dog  Trip 
Et  the  dip. 

And— the  worst, 
From  the  first,— 


Our  dog  FMo 
Et  the  pie-dough. 
[  120  ] 


A   SESSION  WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY 


THE    IMPERIOUS    ANGLER 

Miss  MEDAIRY  DORY- ANN 
Cast  her  line  and  caught  a  man, 


But  when  he  looked  so  pleased,  alack  ! 
She  unhooked  and  plunked  him  back.- 
"I  never  like  to  catch  what  I  can," 
Said  Miss  Medairy  Dory- Ann. 


[121] 


A  SESSION  WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY 
3 

THE    GATHERING    OF    THE    CLANS 
[Foice  from  behind  high  board-fence.'} 


""WHERE  's  the  crowd  that  dares  to  go 
"Where  I  dare  to  lead?— you  know  !" 


"Well,  here  's  one!" 
Shouts  Ezry  Dunn. 


[122] 


A  SESSION  WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY 

T 


"Count  me  two!" 
Yells  Cootsy  Drew. 


"Here  's  yer  three  /" 
Sings  Babe  Magee. 


TTrTTI 


*^**s^*^ 


"Score  me  four !" 
Roars  Leech-hole  Moore. 
[123] 


A   SESSION   WITH  UNCLE   SIDNEY 


"Tally— -five!" 
Howls  Jamesy  Olive. 


"I  make  six  !  " 
Chirps  Herbert  Dix. 


"Punctchul !— seven  /" 
Pipes  Runt  Replevin. 
[124] 


A  SESSION  WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY 


"Mark  me  eight!" 
Grunts  Mealbag  Nate. 


"I  'm  yet  nine  I n 
Growls  "Lud'rick"  Stein. 


"Hi !  here's  ten  /» 
"Whoops  Catfish  Ben. 
[125] 


A   SESSION   WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY 


"And  now  we  march,  in  daring  line, 
For  the  banks  of  Brandywine  ! " 


[  126] 


A  SESSION   WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY 


"IT" 


A  "WEE  little  worm  in  a  hickory-nut 
Sang,  happy  as  he  could  be,— 


"O  I  live  in  the  heart  of  the  whole  round  world, 
And  it  all  belongs  to  me  ! " 
[127] 


A  SESSION  WITH  UNCLE  SIDNEY 


THE     DARING    PRINCE 

A  DAEING  prince,  of  the  realm  Eangg  Dhune, 
Once  went  up  in  a  big  balloon 


[128] 


A  SESSION   WITH   UNCLE  SIDNEY 

That  caught  and  stuck  on  the  horns  of  the  moon, 
And  he  hung  up  there  till  next  day  noon— 
When  all  at  once  he  exclaimed,  "Hoot-toot ! " 
And  then  came  down  in  his  parachute. 


[129] 


A   DUBIOUS   "OLD   KRISS" 


US-FOLKS  is  purty  pore— but  Ma 
She  's  waitin'— two  years  more— 

telPa 
He  serve  his  term  out.     Our  Pa 

he- 
He  's  in  the  Penitenchurrie  ! 

Now  don't  you  never  ten  /—'cause 

Sis, 

The  baby,  she  don't  know  he  is. — 
'Cause  she  wuz  only  four,  you 

know, 
He  kissed  her  last  an'  hat  to  go  ! 


Pa  alluz  liked  Sis  best  of  all 
Us  childern.— 'Spect  it 's  'cause  she  fall 
When  she  'uz  ist  a  child,  one  day — 
An'  make  her  back  look  thataway. 
[130] 


A  DUBIOUS  "OLD   KRISS" 

Pa— 'fore  he  be  a  burglar— he  's 
A  locksmiff,  an'  maked  locks,  an'  keys, 
An'  knobs  you  pull  fer  bells  to  ring, 
An'  he  could  1st  make  anything  !— 


'Cause  our  Ma  say  he  can ! 

— An'  this 
Here  little  pair  o'  crutches 

Sis 
Skips  round  on— Pa  maked 

them— yes-sir  !— 
An'  silivur-plate-name  here 

fer  her ! 


Pa  's  out   o'   work   when 

Chris'mus  come 
One  time,   an'   stay  away 
from  -home, 

An'  's  drunk  an'  'buse  our  Ma,  an'  swear 
They  ain't  no  "Old  Kriss"  anywhere  ! 


An'  Sis  she  alluz  say  they  wuz 
A'  Old  Kriss— an'  she  alluz  does. 
But  ef  they  is  a'  Old  Kriss,  why, 
When  's  Chris'mus,  Ma  she  alluz  cry  ? 
[131] 


A  DUBIOUS   "OLD   KKISS" 

This  Chris'  mus  now,  we  live  here  in 
Where  Ma's  rent 's  alluz  due  ag'in— 
An'  she  "ist  slaves"— I  heerd  her  say 
She  did — ist  them  words  thataway  ! 


An'  th' other  night,  when  all 's  so  cold 
An'  stove  's  'most  out— our  Ma  she  rolled 
Us  in  th'old  feather-bed  an'  said, 
"To-merry  's  Chris'mus— go  to  bed, 
[  132  ] 


A  DUBIOUS   "OLD   KKISS" 

"An'  thank  yer  blessed  stars  fer  this— 
We  don't  'sped  nothin'  from  Old  Kriss ! " 
An'  cried,  an'  locked  the  door,  an'  prayed, 
An'  turned  the  lamp  down.  ...  An'  I  laid 


There,  thinkin'  in  the  dark  ag'in, 
"Ef  wuz  Old  Kriss,  he  can't  git  in, 
'Cause  ain't  no  chimbly  here  at  all — 
1st  old  stovepipe  stuck  frue  the  wall ! " 


I  sleeped  nen. — An'  wuz  dreamin'  some 
When  I  waked  up  an'  morning  's  come,— 
Fer  our  Ma  she  wuz  settin'  square 
Straight  up  in  bed,  a-readin'  there 

•« 

Some  letter  'at  she  'd  read,  an'  quit, 
An'  nen  hold  like  she  's  huggin'  it. — 
An'  diamon'  ear-rings  she  don't  know 
Wuz  in  her  ears  tel  I  say  so— 

An'  wake  the  rest  up.     An'  the  sun 
In  frue  the  winder  dazzle-un 
Them  eyes  o'  Sis's,  wiv  a  sure- 
Enough  gold  chain  Old  Kriss  bringed  to  'er  1 
[133] 


A  DUBIOUS   "OLD   KRISS" 

An'  all  of  us  git  gold  things  !— Sis, 
Though,  say  she  know  it  "ain't  Old  Kriss- 
He  kissed  her,  so  she  waked  an'  saw 
Him  skite  out— an'  it  wuz  her  Pa." 


[134] 


'ALONG  THE  BKINK  OF  WILD  BROOK-WAYS.' 


A   SONG   OF   SINGING 

SING  !  gangling  lad,  along  the  brink 
Of  wild  brook-ways  of  shoal  and  deep, 

Where  killdees  dip,  and  cattle  drink, 
And  glinting  little  minnows  leap  ! 

Sing  !  slimpsy  lass  who  trips  above 
And  sets  the  foot-log  quivering  ! 

Sing  !  bittern,  bumble-bee,  and  dove- 
Sing  !  Sing  !  Sing  ! 

Sing  as  you  will,  O  singers  all 

Who  sing  because  you  want  to  sing! 

Sing  !  peacock  on  the  orchard  wall, 
Or  tree-toad  by  the  trickling  spring  ! 

Sing  !  every  bird  on  every  bough— 
Sing  !  every  living,  loving  thing— 

Sing  any  song,  and  anyhow, 

But  Sing  !  Sing  1  Sing ! 


[137] 


THE   JAYBIRD 

THE  Jaybird  he  's  my  favorite 

Of  all  the  birds  they  is  ! 
I  think  he  's  quite  a  stylish  sight 

In  that  blue  suit  of  his : 
An'  when  he  'lights  an'  shuts  his  wings, 

His  coat 's  a  "cutaway"— 
I  guess  it 's  only  when  he  sings 

You  'd  know  he  wuz  a  jay. 

I  like  to  watch  him  when  he  's  lit 

In  top  of  any  tree, 
'Cause  all  birds  git  wite  out  of  it 

When  he  'lights,  an'  they  see 
How  proud  he  act',  an'  swell  an'  spread 

His  chest  out  more  an'  more, 
An'  raise  the  feathers  on  his  head 

Like  it 's  cut  pompadore  ! 


[138] 


'  I  LIKE  TO  WATCH  HIM. 


A   BEAR   FAMILY 


WUNST,  'way  West  in  Illinoise, 
Wuz  two  Bears  an'  their  two  boys  : 
An'  the  two  boys'  names,  you  know, 
Wuz— like  ours  is,— Jim  an'  Jo ; 
An'  their  parunts1  names  wuz  same's  > 
All  big  grown-up  people's  names,— 
1st  Miz  Bear,  the  neighbers  call 
'Em,  an'  Mister  Bear— 'at 's  all. 
Yes— an'  Miz  Bear  scold  him,  too, 
1st  like  grown  folks  should  n't  do  ! 

Wuz  a  grea'-big  river  there, 

An',  'crosst  that,  's  a  moun 
tain  where 

Old   Bear  said   some  day 
he  'd  go, 

Ef  she  don' t  quit  scoldin'  so  ! 

So,  one  day  when  he  been 

down 

The  river,  fishin',  'most  to  town, 
An'  come  back  'thout  no  fish  a-tall, 
An'  Jim  an'  Jo  they  run  an'  bawl 
[141] 


A  BEAK  FAMILY 

An'  tell  their  ma  their  pa  hain't  fetch' 
No  fish,— she  scold  again  an'  ketch 
Her  old  broom  up  an'  biff  him,  too.— 


An' .he  ist  cry,  an'  say,  "Boo-hoo ! 
I  told  you  what  I  'd  do  some  day  !  " 
An'  he  ist  turned  an'  runned  away 
To  where  's  the  grea'  big  river  there, 
An'  ist  splunged  in  an'  swum  to  where 
The  mountain  's  at,  'way  th'other  side, 
An'  clumbed  up  there.    An'  Miz  Bear  cried- 
An'  little  Jo  an'  little  Jim— 
Ist  like  their  ma — bofe  cried  fer  him  !— 
But  he  clumbed  on,  clean  out  o1  sight, 
He  wuz  so  mad  !— An'  served  'em  right ! 
[142] 


A   BEAR   FAMILY 

Ken— when  the  Bear  got  'way  on  top 
The  mountain,  he  heerd  somepin'  flop 
Its  wings — an'  somepin'  else  he  heerd 
A-rattlin'-like.— An'  he  wuz  sJceerd, 
An'  looked  'way  up,  an'— Mercy  sake!- 


It  wuz  a'  Eagul  an'  a  SNAKE  ! 
An' -sir  !  the  Snake,  he  bite  an'  kill' 
The  Eagul,  an'  they  bofe  fall  till 
They  strike  the  ground— W  spang -W  spat !- 
Wite  where  the  Bear  wuz  standin'  at ! 
An'  when  here  come  the  Snake  at  him, 
The  Bear  he  think  o'  little  Jim 
[143] 


A   BEAE   FAMILY 

An'  Jo,  he  did— an'  their  ma,  too,— 

All  safe  at  home ;  an'  he  ist  flew 

Back  down  the  mountain— an'  could  hear 

The  old  Snake  rattlin',  sharp  an'  clear, 

Wite  clos't  behind  !— An'  Bear  he  's  so 

All  tired  out,  by  time,  you  know, 

He  git  down  to  the  river  there, 

He  know'  he  can't  swim  back  to  where 

His  folks  is  at.     But  ist  wite  nen 

He  see  a  boat  an'  six  big  men 


'At 's  been  a-shootin'  ducks  :  An'  so 
He  skeerd  them  out  the  boat,  you  know, 
An'  ist  jumped  in— an'  Snake  he  tried 
To  jump  in,  too,  but  failed  outside 
Where  all  the  water  wuz  ;  an'  so 
The  Bear  grabs  one  the  things  you  row 
The  boat  wiv  an'  ist  whacks  the  head 
Of  the  old  Snake  an'  kills  him  dead !— 
[144] 


A   BEAR   FAMILY 

An'  when  he  's  killed  him  dead,  w'y,  nen 
The  old  Snake  's  drownded  dead  again  ! 
Nen  Bear  set  in  the  boat  an'  bowed 
His  back  an'  rowed— an'  rowed— an'  rowed 
Till  he  's  safe  home— so  tired  he  can't 
Do  nothin'  but  lay  there  an'  pant 
An'  tell  his  childern,  "Bresh  my  coat !  " 
An'  tell  his  wife,  "Go  chain  my  boat ! " 
An'  they  're  so  glad  he  's  back,  they  say 
"They  knowed  he  's  comin'  thataway 
To  ist  su'prise  the  dear  ones  there  !  " 
An'  Jim  an'  Jo  they  dried  his  hair 


An'  pulled  the  burrs  out ;  an'  their  ma 
She  ist  set  there  an'  helt  his  paw 
Till  he  wuz  sound  asleep,  an'  nen 
She  tell'  him  she  won't  scold  again— 

Never — never — never — 

Ferever  an'  ferever ! 


[145] 


SONG 

[w.  s.] 

WITH  a  hey  !  and  a  hi !  and  a  hey-ho  rhyme  ! 

O  the  shepherd  lad 

He  is  ne'er  so  glad 
As  when  he  pipes,  in  the  blossom-time, 

So  rare ! 
While  Kate  picks  by,  yet  looks  not  there. 

So  rare  !  so  rare  ! 
With  a  hey !  and  a  hi !  and  a  ho  ! 
The  grasses  curdle  where  the  daisies  blow  ! 

With  a  hey  !  and  a  hi !  and  a  hey-ho  vow ! 

Then  he  sips  her  face 

At  the  sweetest  place— 
And  ho  !  how  white  is  the  hawthorn  now  !— 

So  rare  !— 
And  the  daisied  world  rocks  round  them  there. 

So  rare  !  so  rare  ! 
With  a  hey !  and  a  hi !  and  a  ho  ! 
The  grasses  curdle  where  the  daisies  Now  I 
[146] 


''WHILE   KATE    PICKS    BY,    YET   LOOKS   NOT   THERE.' 


SOME  SONGS  AFTER   MASTER-SINGERS 


II 

TO  THE   CHILD  JULIA 

[R.  H.] 

LITTLE  Julia,  since  that  we 
May  not  as  our  elders  be, 
Let  us  blithely  fill  the  days 
Of  our  youth  with  pleasant  plays. 
First  we  '11  up  at  earliest  dawn, 
While  as  yet  the  dew  is  on 
The  sooth'd  grasses  and  the  pied 
Blossomings  of  morningl  ide  ; 
Next,  with  rinsed  cheeks  that  shine 
As  the  enamell'd  eglantine, 
We  will  break  our  fast  on  bread 
With  both  cream  and  honey  spread 
Then,  with  many  a  challenge-call, 
We  will  romp  from  house  and  hall, 
Gypsying  with  the  birds  and  bees 
Of  the  green-tress'd  garden  trees. 
In  a  bower  of  leaf  and  vine 
Thou  shalt  be  a  lady  fine 
Held  in  duress  by  the  great 
Giant  I  shall  personate. 
[149] 


SOME  SONGS   AFTER   MASTER-SINGEKS 

Next,  when  many  mimics  more 
Like  to  these  we  have  played  o'er, 


[150] 


SOME  SONGS  AFTEK  MASTEK-SINGEKS 

We  '11  betake  iis  home-along 
Hand  in  hand  at  evensong. 


in 

THE  DOLLY'S  MOTHEE 
[w.  w.] 

A  LITTLE  MAID,  of  summers  four- 
Did  you  compute  her  years,— 

And  yet  how  infinitely  more 
To  me  her  age  appears  : 


I  mark  the  sweet  child's  serious  air, 
At  her  un playful  play,— 

The  tiny  doll  she  mothers  there 
And  lulls  to  sleep  away, 
[151] 


SOME  SONGS   AFTEE  MASTER-SINGERS 

Grows— 'neath  the  grave  similitude— 

An  infant  real,  to  me, 
And  she  a  saint  of  motherhood 

In  hale  maturity. 


So,  pausing  in  my  lonely  round, 

And  all  unseen  of  her, 
I  stand  uncovered— her  profound 

And  abject  worshipper. 
[152] 


LEND  ME  THE  BREATH  OF  A  FRESHENING  GALE." 


SOME  SONGS   AFTEK   MASTER-SINGEKS 


IV 

WIND  OF  THE  SEA 
[A.  T.] 

WIND  of  the  Sea,  come  fill  my  sail— 
Lend  me  the  breath  of  a  freshening  gale  , 

And  bear  my  port- worn  ship  away  ! 
For  O  the  greed  of  the  tedious  town— 
The  shutters  up  and  the  shutters  down ! 

Wind  of  the  Sea,  sweep  over  the  bay 
And  bear  me  away  !— away  ! 

Whither  you  bear  me,  Wind  of  the  Sea, 
Matters  never  the  least  to  me  : 

Give  me  your  fogs,  with  the  sails  adrip, 
Or  the  weltering  path  thro'  the  starless  night- 
On,  somewhere,  is  a  new  daylight 
And  the  cheery  glint  of  an 
other  ship 
As  its  colors  dip  and  dip  ! 

Wind  of  the  Sea,  sweep  over  the  bay 
And  bear  me  away  !— away ! 
[155] 


SOME  SONGS  AFTEE  MASTER-SINGERS 


V 

SUBTLETY 
[E.  B.] 

WHILST  little  Paul,  convalescing,  was  staying 
Close  indoors,  and  his  boisterous  classmates  paying 


[156] 


SOME  SONGS  AFTEB,  MASTER-SING.EKS 

Him  visits,  with  fresh  school-notes  and  surprises,— 
With  nettling  pride  they  sprung  the  word  "Athletic," 
"With  much  advice  and  urgings  sympathetic 

Anent  "athletic  exercises."     Wise  as 
Lad  might  look,  quoth  Paul :  "I  've  pondered  o'er 

that 
'  Athletic,'  but  I  mean  to  take,  before  that, 

Downstairic  and  outdooric  exercises." 


VI 

BOKN  TO  THE   PUKPLE 

[W.  M.] 

MOST-LIKE  it  was  this  kingly  lad 
Spake  out  of  the  pure  joy  he  had 
In  his  child-heart  of  the  wee  maid 
Whose  eerie  beauty  sudden  laid 
A  spell  upon  him,  and  his  words 
Burst  as  a  song  of  any  bird's  :— 

A  peerless  Princess  thou  shalt  be, 
Through  wit  of  love's  rare  sorcery : 
To  crown  the  crown  of  thy  gold  hair 
Thou  shalt  have  rubies,  bleeding  there 
Their  crimson  splendor  midst  the  marred 
Pulp  of  great  pearls,  and  afterward 
[157] 


SOME   SONGS  AFTEK  MASTER-SINGERS 


Leaking  in  fainter  ruddy  stains 
Adown  thy  neck-and-armlet-chains 
Of  turquoise,  chrysoprase,  and  mad 
Light-frenzied  diamonds,  dartliug  glad 
[  168.]. 


SOME  SONGS  AFTER  MASTER-SINGERS 

Swift  spirts  of  shine  that  interfuse 

As  though  with  lucent  crystal  dews 

That  glance  and  glitter  like  split  rays 

Of  sunshine,  born  of  burgeoning  Mays 

When  the  first  bee  tilts  down  the  lip 

Of  the  first  blossom,  and  the  drip 

Of  blended  dew  and  honey  heaves 

Him  blinded  midst  the  underleaves. 

For  raiment,  Fays  shall  weave  for  thee— 

Out  of  the  phosphor  of  the  sea 

And  the  frayed  floss  of  starlight,  spun 

With  counterwarp  of  the  firm  sun— 

A  vesture  of  such  filmy  sheen 

As,  through  all  ages,  never  queen 

Therewith  strove  truly  to  make  less 

One  fair  line  of  her  loveliness. 

Thus  gowned  and  crowned  with  gems  and  gold, 

Thou  shalt,  through  centuries  untold, 

Eule,  ever  young  and  ever  fair, 

As  now  thou  rulest,  smiling  there. 


[159] 


OLD   MAN   WHISKERY-WHEE-KUM- 
WHEEZE 

OLD  MAN  "Whiskery- Whee-Kum-Wheeze 
Lives  'way  up  in  the  leaves  o'  trees. 
An'  wunst  I  slipped  up -stairs  to  play 
In  Aunty's  room,  while  she  'uz  away  ; 
An'  I  clumbed  up  in  her  cushion- chair 
An'  ist  peeked  out  o'  the  winder  there  ; 
An'  there  I  saw — wite  out  in  the  trees — 
Old  Man  Whiskery- Whee-Kum-Wheeze  ! 

An'  Old  Man  Whiskery- Whee-Kum-Wheeze 
Would  bow  an'  bow,  with  the  leaves  in  the  breeze. 
An'  waggle  his  whiskers  an'  raggledy  hair, 
An'  bow  to  me  in  the  winder  there  ! 
An'  I  'd  peek  out,  an'  he  'd  peek  in 
An'  waggle  his  whiskers  an'  bow  ag'in, 
Ist  like  the  leaves  'u'd  wave  in  the  breeze- 
Old  Man  Whiskery-Whee-Kum- Wheeze ! 
[160] 


'  BOW  TO  ME  IN  THE  WINDER  THERE  !  " 


WHISKERY- WHEE-KUM- WHEEZE 

An'  Old  Man  Whiskery- Whee-Kum-Wheeze, 
Seem -like,  says  to  me  :  "See  my  bees 
A-bringin'  my  dinner?    An'  see  my  cup 
O'  locus' -blossoms  they  've  plum'  filled  up  ?  " 
An'  "  Um-yum,  honey ! "  wuz  last  he  said, 
An'  waggled  his  whiskers  an'  bowed  his  head  ; 
An'  I  yells,  "Gimme  some,  won't  you,  please, 
Old  Man  Whiskery-Whee-Kum- Wheeze  ?" 


163 


LITTLE-GIRL-TWO-LITTLE-GIRLS 

I  'M  twins,  I  guess,  'cause  my  Ma  say 
I  'm  two  little  girls.     An'  one  o'  me 
Is  Good  little  girl ;  an'  th'other  'n'  she 
Is  Sad  little  girl  as  she  can  be  ! 

An'  Ma  say  so,  'most  ever'  day. 


An'  she  's  the  funniest  Ma !  'Cause  when 
My  Doll  won't  mind,  an'  I  ist  cry, 
Wy,  nen  my  Ma  she  sob  an'  sigh, 
An'  say,  "Dear  Good  little  girl,  good-bye  !- 

Bad  little  girl 's  corned  here  again  ! " 
[  164] 


LITTLE-GIRL-TWO-LITTLE-GIKLS 

Last  time  'at  Ma  act'  thataway, 
I  cried  all  to  myse'f  awhile 
Out  on  the  steps,  an'  nen  I  smile, 
An'  git  my  Doll  all  fix'  in  style, 

An'  go  in  where  Ma  's  at,  an'  say : 
"Morning  to  you,  Mommy  dear! 
Where  's  that  Bad  little  girl  wuz  here  ? 
Bad  little  girl 's  goned  clean  away. 
An?  Good  little  girl 's  corned  back  to  stay." 


[  165  ] 


A  GUSTATORY   ACHIEVEMENT 


LAST  Thanksgivin' -dinner  we 
Et  at  Granny's  house,  an'  she 


[166] 


A   GUSTATORY   ACHIEVEMENT 

Had— 1st  like  she  alluz  does- 
Most  an'  best  pies  ever  wuz. 

Canned  blackburry-pie  an'  goose- 
Burry,  squshin'-full  o'  juice  ; 
An'  rozburry— yes,  an'  plum- 
Yes,  an'  churry-pie—um-yum  ! 

Peach  an'  punkin,  too,  you  bet. 
Lawzy  !  I  kin  taste  'em  yet ! 
Yes,  an'  custard-pic,  an'  mince ! 

An'— I— ain't— et— no— pie— since  ! 


[  167] 


CLIMATIC   SORCERY 

WHEN  frost 's  all  on  our  winder,  an'  the  snow  's 
All  out-o'-doors,  our  "Old-Kriss  "-milkman  goes 
A-drivin'  round,  ist  purt'-nigh  froze  to  death, 
With  his  old  white  mustache  froze  full  o'  breath. 

But  when  it ':>  summer  an'  all  warm  ag'in, 
He  comes  a-whistlin'  an'  a-drivin''  in 
Our  alley,  'thout  no  coat  on,  ner  ain't  cold, 
Ner  his  mustache  ain't  white,  ner  he  ain't  old. 


A    PARENT   REPRIMANDED 


SOMETIMES  I  think  'at  Parunts  does 
Things  ist  about  as  bad  as  us— 


[171] 


A   PARENT   REPRIMANDED 

"Wite  'fore  our  vurry  eyes,  at  that ! 
Fer  one  time  Pa  he  scold'  my  Ma 

'Cause  he  can't  find  his  hat ; 
An'  she  ist  cried,  she  did  !     An'  I 

Says,  "Ef  you  scold  my  Ma 
Ever  again  an'  make  her  cry, 

Wy,  you  sha'n't  be  my  Pa ! " 
An'  nen  he  laugh'  an'  find  his  hat 
Ist  wite  where  Ma  she  said  it 's  at ! 


172] 


"THE  CHILDISH  DREAMS  IN  HIS  WISE  OLD  HEAD. 


THE  TREASURE  OF  THE  WISE  MAN 

O  THE  NIGHT  was  dark  and  the  night  was  late, 
And  the  robbers  came  to  rob  him  j 

And  they  picked  the  locks  of  his  palace-gate, 
The  robbers  that  came  to  rob  him— 

They  picked  the  locks  of  his  palace-gate, 

Seized  his  jewels  and  gems  of  state, 

His  coffers  of  gold  and  his  priceless  plate,— 
The  robbers  that  came  to  rob  him. 

But  loud  laiighed  he  in  the  morning  red  !— 
For  of  what  had  the  robbers  robbed  him?— 

Ho  !  hidden  safe,  as  he  slept  in  bed, 
"When  the  robbers  came  to  rob  him, — 

They  robbed  him  not  of  a  golden  shred 

Of  the  childish  dreams  in  his  wise  old  head— 
"And  they  're  welcome  to  all  things  else,"  he  said, 
When  the  robbers  came  to  rob  him. 


[175] 


[  176  ] 


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